Table Behavior

Expectations for how to act during gameplay are often overlooked by players at many tables. There are endless stories of bad DM's, toxic players, and problematic people in general at all levels of play. My hope is that by outlining some general expectations and guidelines, we can avoid awkward interactions and harmful beheviors that we might not have previously been on the lookout for.

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Gameplay

The Goal

Our only goal as a group of people playing D&D is to tell an interesting and meaningful story together.

This one singular rule to follow when all else has failed and everyone is having a bad time, is one that should remain at the forefront of everyone's mind during the game. We are here to have fun, be creative, laugh, cry, celebrate, explore dungeons, and fight dragons - But never forget that in the end, our only job is to tell a story, and hopefully one that is meaningful to us.

Its also important to remember that this is a collaborative game between the DM and the players, not an antagonistic one; there is no winning or losing against each other. The measure of success is whether or not the story being told is one worth telling.

Structure

The way D&D is played is simple, the DM creates the form, and the players fill out that space. Regardless of whatever happens within that framework, the general guide is understood to be this:

1. The DM Describes
2. The Player's Act
3. The DM Narrates

That's it - as simple as it is effective.

This means that upon entry into the world the DM will take the time to describe the players' surroundings. All types of sights and sounds, smells, the temperature, the atmosphere, and even the feelings about whatever place the players are in. Once the scene has been properly laid out the players then take the wheel, and choose what they want to do. They describe their characters, what they do and how they do it, in some cases even how they might feel about what they're doing. If need be, the players ask for further explanation or clarification of anything they need, to which the DM will respond by providing that information. In cases where the actions of the players or the information they need may not be accessible or apparent, the DM asks for skill checks to determine whether or not that action is completed or if that information is gathered. Once the players decisions are resolved by either the DM, the dice, or the other party members, the DM will then describe what happens or what changes as a result of those decisions.

At it's core, D&D is in part a storytelling device. The story told is one resulting from collaborative efforts between the DM and the players, to navigate the world they find themselves within. The only limit to what stories can be told is the imagination and creativity of the group.

The Three Pillars

In D&D, there are 3 primary pillars upon which every game sits. Without one of these pillars the game falls apart, unable to stand on one or two alone. These three pillars are Exploration, Social Interaction, and Combat. Here is what to expect when engaging with each of these three pillars:

Combat

Battlemaps and mini's will only be used in cases where a combat encounter was expected or prepared. In these cases, the DM will provide a battle map, either 3D or 2D, and the enemies will be represented by either figure miniatures or by some other kinds of markers. If combat appears suddenly or unexpectedly, or if the encounter is a small-scale skirmish, combat will be carried out using theatre-of-the-mind. In this case, enemy and player positioning is far less consequential and the focus is on damage numbers, large scale movements, and thematic pacing.

Exploration

When traveling the world, traversing a city, or exploring a dungeon, exploration will happen between the players and will involve the DM when necessary. When applicable, the DM will ask for skill checks and the following dice rolls will be counted toward those checks. Any maps, layouts, or battle maps will be provided when necessary but likely this will not be often. In general, the imagination is a far more powerful tool to leverage when exploring a scene. As it is important to maintain the narrative, only the player-characters who would have access to any information gathered during exploration should play as if they have that information unless that player chooses to share with the party. If two characters don't have access to the same surrounding information, either of those player's skill checks do not automatically become accessible to the other. This is called 'Meta-gaming' and will be discussed in more detail below.

Social Interactions

In almost all cases, roleplay will be utilized during Social Interactions. This means that the DM will don a unique voice and mannerisms of an NPC that will talk directly to the characters at the table, rather than the players themselves. Whether or not each players decides to give their character a special voice or personality, the players should still describe what they say, how they act, or otherwise what happens when their character is spoken to in this way. The operating assumption will be that when in a social interaction, the player is speaking as their character and therefore can be heard by the NPC, so it's important to consider one's in-game surroundings when in a social interaction. In the case when a player wishes to break the interaction briefly to speak directly to the DM, the player should signal in some way that this switch has occurred. This could mean breaking out of your character's voice, simply asking "Hey, DM...", or by some physical indication like removing a hat or raising a hand.

Metagaming

In simple terms, Metagaming is the act of playing in character while utilizing information from outside the game. For example: the DM describes an approaching monster that the party has neither encountered nor heard of before, meanwhile the players at the table check the monster manual to determine what monster they’ll be fighting, its resistances and vulnerabilities. In this case, the narrative and stakes of the encounter have been ruined for the characters due to the players above-table. Also, characters will often make discoveries, reach conclusions, or uncover secrets by themselves. At that point, although the other players likely witnessed that happen at the table, their characters have not and therefore should be played as though they have not. This will likely lead to players having to pretend as though they do not know something that the player knows. This maintains the integrity of roleplay and storytelling. In addition, when a player is making a difficult decision the other party members shouln't attempt to affect that player's decision, especially if their character is not present during that encounter. If all players were always privy to each other player's internal thoughts and individual experiences, there would be no reason to maintain the air of discovery that the party is attempting to create.

As stated many times before, our table will in part be focused on engaging storytelling. In almost every case, Metagaming undermines player agency, sabotages immersion, or prevents player engagement in roleplay.

For all these reasons and more, any and all forms of Metagaming are highly discouraged and when necessary, will be actively prevented by the DM.

Expectations

Be Respectful

Respect is arguably the most important trait to maintain at any D&D table. Always be polite when speaking to each other and the DM. Be aware of and sensitive to the moods and emotions of your fellow players. Avoid interrupting anyone, and pay attention when the DM is narrating. Also, avoid leaning too heavily on how your character would act or using your character as a crutch to act however you want. Lastly, be careful to not influence other player when a decision is up to them and absolutely do not ever tell another player what their character should or should not do, those decisions are entirely up to that player. Be kind and empathetic whenever you can.

Be Curious

Be a willing participant in the world and story. You can do this by asking questions about the setting or NPCs, talking to your party members, describing your actions in a fun and engaging way, or simply wanting to do and learn more within the world. Come to the table with a humble attitude and a willingness to engage.

Listen

The best thing any player or DM can do is listen. Listening to another player can affect what you say, how you act, or what you decide. The best thing listening can do is allow your character to actually learn and change and grow throughout the story.

Know your character

Just as the DM must prepare to bring a fun story and world to the players through the adventure and setting, the players should know their character like they know themselves. This is not only a sign of respect to the DM but also enhances each character to the rest of the party, prevents breaks to lookup rules or class features, reduces time spent in combat, and generally streamlines the game in most cases.

Themes and Sensitivity

It is crucial to avoid any potential triggers or pain points that any of the players might have. In order to avoid broaching any problematic themes or sensitive topics, please talk to the DM and be honest about what you definitely do not want to encounter while having fun playing a game of fantasy with your friends. This can include but is not limited to:

• Gratuitous depictions of violence, blood and gore, or
• Depictions of human suffering such as torture, starvation, immolation, or various forms of execution.
• Sexual violence or assault, incest, or rape
• Crimes against humanity such as human trafficking, apartheid, or slavery
• Intra-family conflict such as domestic violence or parental neglect
• Various forms of bigotry
• Profanity or sacrilege

If any player has specific sensitivities to any of these or any other topics that need to be dealt with gently or avoided entirely, please speak to the DM.